Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Friday, February 3, 2012

Chicken Feet

Warning: Graphic chicken action
Mmmm. Dinner!

Some ranch kids end up with a skewed view of life.
Let me explain . . .
Grant was butchering a chicken.
This involves such things as a head and foot-ectomy, removal of several important inner organs, and complete de-feathering.
Our kids had never witnessed this.
I had. (see here)
But, though they had been raised on a ranch, all animals had been sent off site for 'processing'.
This was their first exposure to one of the more graphic of ranch experiences.
I had been a little concerned for their sensibilities.
I needn't have worried.
They were front and center.
And jostling for position.
Grant placed the chosen/unfortunate chicken on the stump and, with one blow, removed the head.
"Oooooh!"
Then he allowed the chicken to go through its death throes.
"Ahhhhh!"
Then the all-important soaking in hot water to loosen the feathers.
"Stinky!"
And the gutting and dismembering.
"Cool!"
Finally, we had, sitting on a plate, what would eventually be our dinner.
The rest of the chicken, the head, viscera and feathers, were gathered together in a sack for disposal.
Then Grant picked up one of the feet.
"Watch this, kids!" he said.
He pulled on a tendon and the foot flexed. Claws closed.
"Wow, Dad, that is the coolest thing ever!"
"Let me try! Let me try!"
They took turns pulling on the exposed tendon.
Squeamish? I think not.
I should point out, here, that we have four strapping sons.
And two gentle, timid daughters.
Not.
Tiana grabbed one of the feet.
"I'm gonna get you!" she hollered at Caitlin.
"Screech!"
And the chase was on.
The two of them spent some time pursuing each other.
Finally, breathless and happy, they relinquished their chicken feet to their impatiently waiting brothers.
Who proceeded to enact act two.
And I had been worried.
Pfffff.
The chicken doesn't fall far from the . . . tree.
So to speak.

26 comments:

  1. Kids...a never ending source of surprise. Now run...I've got the foot.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This reminds me of when my grand daughter (three) first witnessed the same scenario. A little background--her mom and dad and her spent a lot of time in the large barn on their acreage where there were horses, dogs and the chicken pen. So when the chicken butchering began, she started to wail "But, they were my friends". First lessons in reality are rarely pain free.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sooo true, Shirley! I can see your little granddaughter now. :(

      Delete
  3. Actually, Dad chased us around with it first, THEN we got our turns.

    Ah, memories...

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  4. gosh I remember doing that lol
    I forgot till now

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